Thursday 31st July

Dear Families,

Tomorrow marks the end of Week 2 of Term 3. Last week I accessed Long Service Leave and had the privilege of being able to travel overseas and experience different cultures, cuisines, languages and opportunities. Experiences such as this are revitalising, however, there is nothing like being home. Yes we have challenges and face obstacles in our society, and this should not be underestimated, however, the opportunities, services, resources and support we have in Australia are first rate and at times we can forget how fortunate we are. Thank you to Rachel Donnelly and Erin McCormick for stepping up as part of our leadership team whilst I was away and to all of our staff for their support and assistance. 

As we continue into Term 3, the days will get longer, the weather will become warmer and Spring will just be around the corner. When I first started teaching, Term 3 was known as the quiet term- the term before the craziness of Term 4. At SBW, we are continuing to work hard to ensure that our students have opportunities to experience new 'things.' This might be an excursion to learn about the Shroud of Turin, a visit to the library, a virtual tour of an Art Gallery or learning more from Camilla and the team at the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation. The integral opportunity is to balance this with high quality teaching and learning that also occurs in the classroom through the use of evidence informed high quality teaching pedagogy. Throughout all of the experiences offered here, we want our students to approach their learning and lives with a sense of curiosity, awe and wonder. It doesn't matter if you are 6 year old experiencing a situation for the first time or an adult travelling overseas, the sense of curiosity- to try something new and to have a sense of awe and wonder is something that we all wish to embrace and cultivate.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Nic

On Wednesday, students from Grades 5 and 6 visited the Shroud of Turin Exhibition at Marist Regional College. The Shroud of Turin is a centuries old linen cloth that bears the image of a crucified man. A man that millions believe to be Jesus of Nazareth. Modern science has completed hundreds of thousands of hours of detailed study and intense research on the Shroud. It is, in fact, the single most studied artifact in human history, and we know more about it today than we ever have before.

The Shroud Exhibition builds upon the success of the Blessed Carlo Acutis Miracles of the Eucharist Exhibition and First-class Relic that our students visited in 2024, and provides another unique opportunity to nurture the faith formation of both students and staff in our Catholic schools, providing the opportunity for rich learning, reflection and Prayer.

Students in Grade 4 have completed a practice assessment this week for the Religious Literacy Assessment. The Religious Literacy Assessment is completed by Grade 4 students every year to gather data on students understanding and knowledge of the Catholic Faith. 

This year’s theme reminds us that we are all part of a journey, supporting one another and growing stronger as a community. As “Pilgrims of Hope,” our students will join with Catholic schools across Tasmania to reflect on ways we can live with joyful hope and make a positive difference in our world. We look forward to celebrating Catholic Education Week through prayerful activities, learning, and service, as we live out our Catholic mission with hearts full of hope for the future.

NAPLAN 2025

This week, individual student reports for the 2025 NAPLAN assessments were sent home with students in Grades 3 and 5. These reports provide valuable information about student performance in reading, writing, conventions of language and numeracy. They are designed to support learning by highlighting areas of strength and identifying opportunities for growth.

The insights gained from NAPLAN help inform our teaching practices across all year levels and contribute to our ongoing efforts to support student learning and progress.

For families who received a report, we encourage you to review it with your child and refer to the accompanying parent/carer brochure. The brochure provides helpful guidance on how to interpret the results. If you would like to discuss your child's individual report, please contact their teacher.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) is undertaking an independent Review of Mental Health Supports, facilitated by Altum Counselling and Consulting Pty Ltd. The review is evaluating how well current mental health and wellbeing supports are provided across CET schools and how they reflect our Catholic mission and commitment to care.

Specifically, the review will consider:

• The accessibility and effectiveness of student counselling services,
• How complex mental health needs are supported and managed,
• The reach and impact of mental health initiatives for staff and students, and
• How all of this is integrated into CET’s broader governance and Catholic identity.

We warmly invite you to complete a short survey (approx. 8–15 minutes) to share your perspective. You do not need to have detailed knowledge of these areas—your experience as a parent or carer is what matters. Even if you feel unsure about some questions, your input is still important and helps us build a fuller understanding across the system.

Your responses are anonymous and will not be linked to your name or contact details. All data will be reported in a way that protects individual identities.

Thank you for partnering with us. Your voice will directly inform improvements in how we care for the wellbeing and dignity of every student in our school communities.

Please access the survey via this link:  Parent/Carer Survey

Please ensure this survey is completed by Friday 9th August, 2025.

Thank you for taking the time to contribute. Your voice will help strengthen mental health supports across all Catholic Education Tasmania Schools.  

Kind regards,

Nicholas Sasltmarsh

Following inclement weather for the last two End of Year Concerts, the decision has been made in consultation with staff and the school board to hold the End of Year School Concert at Marist Regional College (MRC). The End of Year Concert will be held in the Harcombe Centre at MRC on Thursday 4/12. Thank you to MRC for their support in allowing us to host the concert on their site. More communication regarding the End of Year Concert will be communicated prior to the 4/12. 

Over the term break, Fairbrother completed work on the Grade 5/6 terrapin by installing a door between the two classes and building a ramp to ensure access for those who utilise a wheelchair, mobility vehicle or crutches. Thank you to Fairbrother and Catholic Education Tasmania for their work with this.

Please refer to the guide below for information on symptoms and exclusion times for Student Illness.   Whilst we love to see our students each day, it is important to keep them at home whilst they are feeling unwell or may be contagious.  If you have any questions regarding sickness and absence, please get in touch with the office.

Infectious Disease Guide and Fact Sheet

https://www.health.tas.gov.au/health-topics/infectious-diseases/infectious-diseases-guides-and-fact-sheets

Please see below the Adult Behaviour Policy that has been developed by CET. A couple of key points:

- Inappropriate electronic activity, including but not limited to publishing abusive, defamatory, or offensive content with regards to the school, childcare, OSHC, TCEO, its staff or students on social networking sites or by email

- Shouting, either in person or on the telephone

- Swearing or using derogatory language, sexual jokes, innuendo, and other inappropriate language in a CET environment or around students, either in person or via electronic communications, such as email, or on the telephone

CET policies can be accessed here - https://catholic.tas.edu.au/policies